College of the Desert vs. Harbor College

Comparable Facts

Compare College of the Desert in Palm Desert, CA with Los Angeles Harbor College in Wilmington, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

College of the Desert is larger than Harbor College based on total student enrollment (12,861 students vs. 9,463 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• College of the Desert is located in Palm Desert, CA (Small City setting); Los Angeles Harbor College is in Wilmington, CA (Large City setting).
• College of the Desert is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Los Angeles Harbor College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: College of the Desert 26:1; Los Angeles Harbor College 27:1.

College of the Desert vs. Harbor College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, College of the Desert or Harbor College? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Los Angeles Harbor College than College of the Desert ($14,632 vs. $18,169).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at College of the Desert are 1% lower than at Los Angeles Harbor College ($25,151 vs. $25,407).
• College of the Desert is 7.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than Harbor College (about $88 more per year; $1,326.00 vs. $1,238.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 3.9% higher at Harbor College than at College of the Desert (about $394 more per year; $10,568.00 vs. $10,174.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at College of the Desert than at Los Angeles Harbor College (88% vs. 81%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by College of the Desert students is 0.8% larger than aid received by Los Angeles Harbor College students ($6,822 vs. $6,765).

College of the Desert vs. Harbor College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, College of the Desert or Harbor College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Harbor College and College of the Desert.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: College of the Desert - Open admission; Harbor College - Open admission.

College of the Desert vs. Harbor College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for College of the Desert and Harbor College? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Graduates from Los Angeles Harbor College earn a median of about $1,600 more per year than College of the Desert graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,700 vs. $35,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Los Angeles Harbor College graduates have a $838 lower median loan debt than College of the Desert graduates ($4,500 vs. $5,338).
• Among borrowers, Harbor College graduates have an estimated $9 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than College of the Desert graduates ($46 vs. $55).
• More Harbor College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former College of the Desert students, three years after graduation. (42% vs. 35%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.